The camera that can also detect car noise. Courtesy Security Media
The camera that can also detect car noise. Courtesy Security Media

Hush, that camera can hear you



ABU DHABI // New roadside sensors will be installed in residential areas of the capital to detect cars that make too much noise.

The system consists of a sound meter linked to a sophisticated camera. If the noise level from a vehicle is excessive, the camera captures the licence plate and the driver may be fined.

The equipment was designed by Capt Ahmed Al Muhairi, head of safety at Abu Dhabi traffic police, and is thought to be the first of its kind.

Maj Gen Mohammed Al Romaithi, commander-in-chief of Abu Dhabi Police, said it would help to reduce noise pollution.

“Traffic noise is considered a health hazard in Dubai and Riyadh, with the traffic noise levels being 69 and 80 decibels,” said Salaheddine Bendak, associate professor inindustrial engineering at the University of Sharjah, who has studied street traffic noise in both cities.

“I think it’s fair to assume Abu Dhabi traffic noise levels are similar to those of Dubai and this is a big health issue that needs to be addressed.

“Such a new technology would be a step in the right direction.”

Glenn Havinoviski, a traffic expert in the United States, said the equipment would be useful if the camera and sound sensor were able to differentiate between closely spaced vehicles and determine which ones were too noisy.

He suggested that several sensors be installed on key routes, and should not be obviously visible. “Otherwise, it is possible for drivers to trick the system by maintaining their vehicles at lower volumes near sensor locations,” he said.

Vehicle noise is regulated in many countries. Most states in the US have local ordinances that limit noise levels to about 90 decibels. Vehicle noise in the UK is limited to 74 decibels, and Europe-wide legislation will reduce that to 68 decibels by 2026.

Abu Dhabi Police were unable to say on Tuesday what noise levels would be considered excessive, or what penalties offending drivers would face.

rruiz@thenational.ae

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Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

Emergency

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

Rating: 2/5

About Proto21

Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group

THE LIGHT

Director: Tom Tykwer

Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger

Rating: 3/5

How Beautiful this world is!
The%20specs
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In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
  • Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000 
  • Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000 
  • Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000 
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The Travel Diaries of Albert Einstein The Far East, Palestine, and Spain, 1922 – 1923
Editor Ze’ev Rosenkranz
​​​​​​​Princeton

Ukraine

Capital: Kiev

Population: 44.13 million

Armed conflict in Donbass

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UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

Short-term let permits explained

Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.

Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.

There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.

Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.

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What is graphene?

Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.

It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.

It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.

It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.

Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.

The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.

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